Jake Donahue v. YouTube – Part I

Well, well, well. It seems the powers that be over at Google’s YouTube have blocked my latest videos.

On Monday, I uploaded the new Nike commercial featuring my childhood and adult-life idol Ken Griffey Jr. I then uploaded the tribute video that the Mariners shared on the big screen during the game after he officially retired last month. In less than 36 hours I garnered close to 20,000 views on the Nike commercial – a video that brought tears to many people – and close to 1,000 on the video tribute from Safeco – you want to talk about making grown men cry, watch that video more than once (I will post it to my Vimeo stream soon).

I’ve been getting dozens of e-mails like this:

getoharmony23 has made a comment on Ken Griffey Jr - Goodbye Baseball Hello Cooperstown - Nike:

Greatest of All Time. Brings tears to my eyes even thinking about how I will never get to see the most exciting player that ever laced up the cleats. . :(

And this:

azarel7 has made a comment on Ken Griffey Jr - Goodbye Baseball Hello Cooperstown - Nike:

I don't even play or follow baseball very closely but I know that the man is a legend. Man just played well, no scandals, no drugs, no arrogance, just the game. Sports needs more athletes like him.

Yes, “azarel7,” sports DO need more athletes like him.

But if you click on the videos now, you will be greeted with the following bar across your screen:

What’s more, they put a “strike” in my YouTube account’s “personal record”:

(click to view larger if you want to actually read it)

I have since responded with an e-mail to YouTube protesting the matter. They will forward that on to “MLB Advanced Media,” the originators of the complaint. Since I’ve seen many baseball and Nike commercials/videos all over YouTube already, I must only assume I’m in the right.

Furthermore, this little ditty seems to make it seem like I’m acting within the legal boundaries:

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for fair use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use

So, while I wait for things to be sorted out with YouTube, here is the video in all its original glory (thanks to Vimeo):

Goodbye Baseball, Hello Cooperstown from Jake Donahue on Vimeo.